


カラスの堕天使 - Karasuno Datenshi

by RikuNghts



Series: Karasuno Datenshi [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Bathing/Washing, Brothel AU, Courtesans, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, Hair Brushing, In Character, Language of Flowers, M/M, Multi, Open to suggestions, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tea Ceremonies, at least as much as can be for this, because why not?, hanakotoba, just for fun, no one even asked for this did they?, will get explicit at some point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-18 18:19:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11880147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikuNghts/pseuds/RikuNghts
Summary: Karasuno Datenshi was an unassuming building on the outside. The old, weathered brown wood of the building had clearly stood the test of time. Though the facade seemed unobtrusive with a small, hand-painted wooden sign giving its name by the sliding door, inside was luxurious.This is the story of the "fallen angels" of Miyagi. The lives and loves of the courtesans and their clients.~~~In other words, this is a historical AU featuring our favorite Haikyuu!! characters as courtesans living in a refined brothel.





	1. Character List and Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I don’t know why I’m doing this, to be honest. I had the idea and the urge and it wouldn’t go away, so here it is. The Brothel AU that absolutely nobody asked for, but you’re getting it anyway because I want to have fun! Each chapter will feature a different client, and I will take requests for pairings. This first chapter will be a setup for the world including major characters and their affiliations. Pardon any inaccuracies. They are entirely my fault. Not all characters will be used, and some may be introduced later. Not every chapter will be explicit. I'll post a warning before each chapter. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The “Fallen Angels”

Sugawara Koshi - former “fallen angel” who currently runs the business. He is kind and makes sure the people in his house are protected and well cared for. 

Sawamura Daichi - Sugawara’s former client who now helps oversee the business and makes sure the clients stay in line. 

Hinata Shoyou - employed by Sugawara to greet the clients, serve beverages, and show them to their rooms. At the time he is not available for hire. 

Yamaguchi Tadashi - employed by Sugawara to greet clients, like Hinata, and helps the “angels” prepare for their evenings. 

Tanaka Ryuunosuke - employed by Sugawara as a bodyguard. 

Yamamoto Taketora - employed by Sugawara as a bodyguard. 

Tsukishima Kei - He has a temper that makes him difficult to approach, though he is the favorite of two clients. 

Akaashi Keiji - He is straightforward and a good friend to Tsukishima. He has some preferred clients and often works in tandem with Tsukishima. 

Nishinoya Yuu - With his spirited personality and exceptional flexibility, he is a favorite of many among the “angels,” though he has his heart set on one particular nobleman. 

Iwaizumi Hajime - Is often pestered by one specific client that seems to be infatuated with him. 

Kageyama Tobio - The newest of Sugawara’s “angels,” he is not very popular and he loves to torment Hinata.

 

Clients

Azumane Asahi - A tall, shy nobleman who often visits Nishinoya. 

Bokuto Koutarou - A loud, energetic man who often visits for Akaashi or Tsukishima, and is often seen with Kuroo. Not a nobleman.

Kuroo Tetsurou - A sly man who often visits for Tsukishima. He is frequently seen with Bokuto. Not a nobleman. 

Oikawa Tooru - An arrogant nobleman who frequently visits for Iwaizumi but enjoys harassing Kageyama. They somehow know each other, but neither will discuss how. 

Terushima Yuuji - An infrequent visitor who doesn’t have one particular favorite. He is outgoing and charismatic. Tsukishima can’t stand him. 

Tendo Satori - An infrequent visitor. 

Ushijima Wakatoshi - A nobleman who visits on occasion. 

Various OCs who will not be present long and may not even get names. 

~~~

Karasuno Datenshi was an unassuming building on the outside. The old, weathered brown wood of the building had clearly stood the test of time. Though the facade seemed unobtrusive with a small, hand-painted wooden sign giving its name by the sliding door, inside was luxurious. 

Once visitors stepped into the genkan, they were greeted by the sweet scent of incense. Soft slippers were provided for visitors by one of the employees. From there they were led into the main area of the building. 

While upstairs held a variety of bedrooms for each of the occupants, the first floor held a large tea room where angels met with their clients and entertained them. Rich, silk fabrics were placed around the space, making the environment exotic and yet inviting. If a client wished for a smaller setting for a private tea ceremony, there were a few such rooms set off to the back across a hallway. These private rooms looked out into an inner courtyard with small trees, a rock garden, and flowing water. It was often quiet and peaceful, and many clients entertained business associates without ever visiting the upstairs rooms. 

Screened off from the rest of the rooms but running alongside the garden was a private bath that opened to the back of the garden. Screens provided privacy, and the more wealthy clients could rent it - and a companion - for the afternoon. There was, of course, a private bathroom room for staff that clients were strictly forbidden from. This - along with the kitchen - was the only place where clients could not enter. 

On any given day, Karasuno Datenshi had several clients. They were busy for most of the day, though they remained closed in the morning and early afternoon to allow employees time to rest and clean. In the evenings, however, the atmosphere was filled with music, laughter, and more passionate sounds. 

Sugawara and Sawamura - Suga-san and Daichi-san to their employees, were well respected and proud of their business. They were respected in the community and their staff provided companionship to noblemen and commoners alike. 

As the cicadas buzzed loudly in the summer heat, Sugawara looked over at his lover and smiled gentle. It was a hot day, but they would provide needed relief to their customers in more ways than one. 

“I think it’s time to open, ne?”


	2. The Moon and His Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You scared chibi-chan away, Tsukki! What did you do that for?” 
> 
> “Would you rather see him, Kuroo-san? I can fetch him back for you.” Despite being annoyed by the man’s presence, the thought of him choosing someone else rankled. 
> 
> “Of course not! I came all this way to see you,” he said as he lounged on the floor. He patted the seat next to him. 
> 
> “You don’t live that far; I’m sure it wasn’t a hardship,” Tsukishima said as he knelt on the cushion and reached for the tea. 
> 
> Kuroo sidled closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. 
> 
> “Any walk is too far if it takes me away from you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a KurooTsukki centered chapter, with brief appearance from Hinata and Yamaguchi. I had way too much fun writing this chapter. I apologize for an OOC moments, but this is an AU and, well, it's gonna happen sometimes I suppose. Still, I did my best! Comments are much appreciated! Let me know if there are any pairings you want to see! Anything goes, rarepairs included, though they might take me a little longer to write. 
> 
> Next chapter will be BokuAka
> 
> Enjoy!

The steady dripping of water calmed Tsukishima’s nerves as he sat outside by the rock garden. Time alone to contemplate was hard to come by, and he cherished these silent moments. Of course, it would never last forever. 

The stillness was broken by an all too familiar voice asking for him. He sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Hadn’t he just seen him two days ago? What exactly did the annoying man do for work if he could afford to visit so frequently? 

The shoji slid open behind him and soft footsteps approached. “Tsukishima-san, you have a vis-” 

“Yes, I heard him.” He glanced up at Yamaguchi, who flushed. “What does he want?” 

“Er- he didn’t say. Should I bring him out here, or would you rather…?” 

“The tea room is fine for now. I’ll be in shortly.” 

Yamaguchi nodded and slipped back into the building. 

Tsukishima took a moment to gather this thoughts before he stood, brushed off his yukata, and followed Yamaguchi inside. 

A few other customers lounged around the tea room accompanied by his fellow entertainers. A black-haired man with messy hair lounged in the corner at a small table. Hinata had just set down tea and was laughing loudly with the man. 

“Hinata,” Tsukishima said sharply. 

The fiery red-head froze and then shot daggers over his shoulder. “Excuse me,” he murmured before backing away. 

“You scared chibi-chan away, Tsukki! What did you do that for?” 

“Would you rather see him, Kuroo-san? I can fetch him back for you.” Despite being annoyed by the man’s presence, the thought of him choosing someone else rankled. 

“Of course not! I came all this way to see you,” he said as he lounged on the floor. He patted the seat next to him. 

“You don’t live that far; I’m sure it wasn’t a hardship,” Tsukishima said as he knelt on the cushion and reached for the tea. 

Kuroo sidled closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. 

“Any walk is too far if it takes me away from you.” 

It was hard not to roll his eyes. “Yes, Kuroo-san.” Tsukishima supposed he should be flirting with the man, but Kuroo had been requesting him for over a year now, and he’d quickly learned the man didn’t mind his sarcastic nature. He finished pouring the tea and handed the cup down to him. 

“Was work strenuous today?” 

“As always.” 

“I wish you would tell me what you do.”

“Why? That’s life outside and time away from you. I’d rather talk about you.” 

“I do the same thing every day, Kuroo-san. It’s hardly interesting.” 

“As do I.” 

“But I don’t live that life. You should tell me about it. Fascinate me with your stories. Make me swoon.” 

Kuroo’s laugh was grating on his nerves. It was barking, almost, and the man nearly dropped his tea on the tatami. “Make you swoon? Tsukki, the day you swoon is the day the world ends. Besides, if you’re going to say it like that, it should be breathy, with your eyes wide. Not monotone. Like this.” He set the cup down, opening his eyes wider. “Kuroo-sama, please tell me about your day. Let me ease your mind and body.” 

“Ease your mind and body?” Tsukki snorted. “As if I would speak like that.” 

Kuroo shrugged inelegantly and picked up his tea again. “It would be an interesting sight to see, at least." A sly smirk crossed his lips. “Though I do recall you being breathless on several occasions. 

Having been a courtesan for so long, it is hard to make Tsukishima blush, but Kuroo always knew what to say to get him to that point. He turned his head and coughed into a hand. “Still, I would listen to whatever you chose to tell me about your work. I am nothing if not discreet.” 

“Yes, you are, Tsukki, but you don’t need the boring details of my life. There are better things I can do with my mouth.” 

Tsukishima knew. Oh, how he knew that well. His body tingled with the memory of many nights spent under Kuroo. The one time he’d reserved the bath. He managed to suppress a shiver as he reached out to refill Kuroo’s tea, and then finally sipped at his. 

“Did you want to go upstairs, Kuroo-san?” he asked, settling the cup in his lap, delicately cradled in his hands. 

“Ahh, I wish. Really I just came to visit. I can’t stay long, but after the day I had I wanted to see you. I have to return to work this evening, and I might not be back for a few days.” 

“Oh?” Tsukishima tried to work out what he could be doing that would require more work in the evening. Certainly not carpentry. He frowned and bit his lip. Of course Kuroo took it the wrong way. 

“Hey, what’s this? No worrying about me, okay? I’ll be fine! It’s just a little extra work on the side, that’s all. Maybe when I come back I’ll have a present for you, Tsukki-chan.” 

Tsukishima bristled. “I don’t need presents.” 

“I know, and that’s why I love to spoil you. You get so cute when you’re flustered and angry.” 

He opened his mouth to spit out a retort when Kuroo sat up quickly and pressed his lips against him. He tasted of the tart hibiscus tea they drank, and Tsukishima wanted to savor the kiss, but Kuroo pulled away just as quickly. 

“I should go before I decide work isn’t worth it and drag you upstairs. The things you do to me, Tsukki.” His smile was less sly this time, more fond, and for a moment Tsukishima panicked. 

This wasn’t like Kuroo. He rarely was like this unless he was drunk, and as far as he could tell, the man had not been drinking. 

“Promise me you won’t be in trouble.” 

There was a flash of hesitation that Tsukishima could have ignored if he didn’t know the man well, but he had seen it, and he did know him. “I’ll be fine. Tell you what, since you’re so worried about me, I’ll come by as soon as the job is done, okay?” 

Tsukishima nodded. “Not that I’m worried,” he lied. 

“Of course not. Because there’s no reason to.” 

With another quick, fairly chaste kiss, Kuroo stood. He left his empty cup on the low table and strode from the room, his footsteps sure. 

“Do you think he’s involved with foreigners?” Hinata asked as he came back into the room to collect the tea. 

Tsukishima shot him a glare. “You know better than to eavesdrop, brat.” 

Hinata stuck his tongue out. “Not eavesdropping when he spoke loud enough to be heard.” 

“You’ll never make it here if you don’t learn to be more discreet.” 

“I am the master of discretion! I hear plenty that I never repeat.” 

Tsukishima didn’t bother to dignify that with a response. He stood, resettled his yukata, and returned to his place in the garden. It seemed that, unless someone else called for him, he would have plenty of time to contemplate. 

And worry about his raven-haired suitor.


	3. The Owl in the Reeds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What brings you here today, Bokuto-san?” 
> 
> “Can’t I just come for a nice cup of tea and company?” 
> 
> “I suppose you can. Many do. You, however, do not. You usually have some other motive.” 
> 
> “Always to see you, Akaashi.” His attempts at flirting were pitiful, to say the least. Akaashi decided to throw him a bone. 
> 
> “You flatter me.” He glanced at the man coyly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments, everyone! It's greatly appreciated! I present to you chapter three, with a focus on Bokuto and Akaashi. Also making appearances are Hinata and Tsukishima. 
> 
> I'm having a lot of fun writing this series, and have so many ideas in my head. I know I said PWP in he descriptions but I'll likely remove that tag because a coherent plot is beginning to form already. 
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy this chapter! Next will be Azumane and Nishinoya, and it will be the first chapter with a higher rating.

“A _kaa_ shi!”

“Bokuto-san, please do not yell inside. I’m right here,” Akaashi said, exasperated as his most frequent visitor entered the tea room. He was seated at his usual table, a cup of tea in front of him and a book of poetry forgotten and off to the side. 

“I’m not yelling,” the boisterous man said as he threw himself on the ground next to Akaashi. It took every ounce of willpower to keep his expression calm as he gestured to Hinata to bring a pot of tea. 

“You are, Bokuto-san. And please, do not throw yourself around the room. You’ll disturb the others.” Not for the first time, Akaashi thought of how he would have broken the area into several smaller tea rooms if he owned Karasuno Datenshi. While most customers were well behaved, others - like Bokuto - tended to spill into every space available, even if it meant encroaching on another’s space. 

Bokuto huffed and pushed himself to a seated position. “What’s that? Were you reading? What are you reading?” 

“The poetry book you gave me.” 

“Is it any good?” 

“I thought you gave it to me because you enjoyed it, Bokuto-san.” 

“Ah, well, maybe I just read the first one,” he said, flustered. A crimson stain spread across his face. “It just seemed like something you would like.” He raised a hand and rubbed it across the back of his neck. 

Though loud and often obnoxious, Akaashi appreciated how expressive the man was. He had the strangest hair that tended to stand on end, as if he had tugged on it all day. Even though the roots of his hair were black like Akaashi’s own, the tips were silver. It was, he had decided, an attractive look for the strange man who had inserted himself into his life nearly a year ago. 

“Bokuto-san! Here’s your tea,” Hinata said with a grin as he set the tray on the table. 

“Ah, Chibi-chan! Nice to see you again!” 

“It’s always nice to see you, too!” 

“Hinata, please,” Akaashi said, raising one eyebrow. The youngest staff member bowed and backed from the room, laughing loudly at something Bokuto had said that he missed. 

“Everyone’s so mean to Chibi-chan.” 

“I assure you they’re not.” 

“Well you all always send him away. What’s the harm in letting him talk?” 

“Because that’s not his role here.” 

“Hmm…” Bokuto said thoughtfully as Akaashi poured his tea and handed him the cup gently. 

“What brings you here today, Bokuto-san?” 

“Can’t I just come for a nice cup of tea and company?” 

“I suppose you can. Many do. You, however, do not. You usually have some other motive.” 

“Always to see you, Akaashi.” His attempts at flirting were pitiful, to say the least. Akaashi decided to throw him a bone. 

“You flatter me.” He glanced at the man coyly. 

Even though they both knew it was a game, that it was just part of Akaashi’s act, it never failed to make the loud man pause and take notice. He swallowed roughly and set his cup down to slide closer to Akaashi. 

“I wish you would come home with me, Akaashi.” 

“You know I can’t do that.” 

“I would spoil you.” 

“Many here do.”

“A _kaa_ shi, you’re not supposed to talk about other people in front of me!” 

“Apologies, Bokuto-san.” 

“Forgiven. If you give me a kiss.” 

Akaashi couldn’t help the fond smile that crossed his face. Bokuto sucked in a noisy breath. “I wish you would smile more often.” 

“Give me a reason to, then.” 

“Gladly,” Bokuto said, leaning forward and stealing a kiss. He moved his lips to press gently against Akaashi’s neck. “If you’d let me take you away from here, I would make you very happy.” 

“I have no doubt you would.” 

“Then why don’t you?” 

They had been over this many times in the past, often in the privacy of Akaashi’s room. He sighed and pushed Bokuto back gently to redirect the conversation. “Would you like to go upstairs? Or perhaps I can read some of this poetry to you in the garden?” 

“Ah! I almost forgot. You distracted me, shame on you, Akaashi.” 

“You distract yourself, Bokuto-san.” 

“Probably. Anyway, I can’t stay long today. I’ve been looking for Kuroo-san, but I can’t seem to find him anywhere. I figured I would check here. Is he upstairs with Tsukki?” 

“No. He was here earlier, though. But he didn’t stay long.” 

“Hmm…” 

Akaashi poured himself a cup of tea. Tsukishima had seemed agitated after Kuroo had left. Perhaps he could get some information out of Bokuto and pass it along to his friend to ease his worries. It shouldn’t be too difficult. 

“Were you supposed to meet him somewhere?” 

“Yes, we have a job to complete, but he didn’t meet me where he said he would. That’s not like him. Usually I’m the one that’s late or doesn’t show up!” Bokuto laughed and rubbed the back of his neck again. Though he looked to be in good spirits, Akaashi was fluent in Bokuto and he could see the tension in his eyes. 

“Oh? What job did you have this evening?” 

“Ah, just a delivery. Nothing major.” 

“A delivery this late in the evening? Was your client not at home during the day?” 

“What? Oh, not, the uh, the ship came to port late, and then we received the product late.” 

“Couldn’t the delivery wait until tomorrow? You could spend the evening here. Maybe Kuroo will come and look for you here.” 

“The client was pretty adamant they get it today. They weren’t happy the shipment was delayed as it was, but there’s nothing we could do about it.” 

“If Kuroo isn’t around, couldn’t you do the delivery on your own?” 

“Ahh, I suppose I could, but I’d rather not?” 

“Why not?” Akaashi pushed. He reached out to fill Bokuto’s empty cup and had his wrist grabbed. He glanced up to see a serious expression settle over Bokuto’s face. 

“You’re asking a lot of questions tonight, Akaashi.” 

“Just passing time, Bokuto-san.” He smiled. “More tea?” 

“No. I should be going.” He stood up. “If Kuroo does come back, let him know I’m looking for him and I went on ahead without him.” 

“Sure. Have a good evening, Bokuto-san.” 

“You took, Akaashi.” He leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. “Perhaps I’ll visit tomorrow.” 

“Three times in one week? I’m honored.” 

“It could be every day if you’d leave with me.” 

“Good evening, Bokuto-san.” 

Bokuto threw a grin over shoulder as he left. Akaashi watched him go and waited a moment before calling Hinata - who had clearly been eavesdropping again - over. “Where’s Tsukishima?” 

“Last I saw him, he was going out to the garden.” 

“Thank.” Leaving Hinata to clean the tea, Akaashi stood, smoothing down his blue yukata, and left the tea room. 

The shoji leading to the garden was closed, and Akaashi listened for a moment before sliding it open. Even though the garden was a public area, it was always best to be cautious. One never knew where clients could become amorous, even if the garden was typically frowned upon. 

“Tsukishima.” 

The blond stared at the rock garden, his hands settled calmly along his thighs. He sighed and looked up at Akaashi. “Someone for me?” 

“No, actually. Bokuto-san came to visit. He just left.” 

Tsukishima looked him over and raised an eyebrow. “You’re looking more put together than usual after a visit from him.” 

Akaashi couldn’t help the flush that rose from his neck and crossed over his cheeks. “It wasn’t one of those visits.” 

“That’s rare,” Tsukishima said, his tone flat. 

“Yes. Anyway, he was here looking for Kuroo-san.” 

That caught his attention and he looked up quickly. “Looking for him?” 

“Apparently they were supposed to be making a delivery tonight, but he never showed up. So he’s been looking all over for him.” 

Though his fellow courtesan tried to hide his emotions from everyone come across as aloof, Akaashi could read him well. He saw the muscles in his jaw tic as he tightened them, and the twitch in his left eyebrow was nearly imperceptible. “I’m sure he’s fine, Tsukishima.” 

“He said he would come back once work was finished.” 

“And he will. You know, I wouldn’t put it past Bokuto-san to have forgotten where they were supposed to meet in the first place.” 

Tsukishima snorted and turned his gaze back out on the garden. “You’re probably right.” 

“When it comes to Bokuto-san, I usually am.”


	4. The Morning Sun that Longs for the Evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This chapter got a bit out of control. It's really long, and it's explicit, so if that bothers you... you know what to do. 
> 
> I tried to be as accurate as possible regarding clothing. I'm still not sure exactly when this story takes place other than the past, but I looked up clothing. For the sake of this story, the courtesans wear clothing that is more aligned toward women not to make the character feminine, but because I find the clothing to be elegant and graceful, and that's more what I'm looking for here. So, rather than the thinner obi a man wears with a kimono or yukata, they wear the wider bands associated with a woman's kimono. 
> 
> I may link to my tumblr at some point to show pictures that inspired clothing and scenes. 
> 
> Enjoy! Not sure who is up next. If you have a request, please make it! Next chapter might just be gossip.

“Hair up or down, Nishinoya-san?” 

“Hmm...up.” 

“Trying to make yourself a little taller, Noya?” 

Nishinoya glared at Tanaka as he stood outside his room, leaning against the frame. Behind him, Yamaguchi swept his hair up, brushing it to stand up nearly straight. Some strands of hair fell down and he left them to cover his forehead. 

“Azumane-san doesn’t care about my height,” Nishinoya all but growled. 

Tanaka snickered. “I’m sure he doesn’t. There’s a lot of things that he can do because of it.” 

“Nishinoya-san! Please sit still!” Yamaguchi tried to push him back in his seat. “Ignore Tanaka-san. He’s just trying to get you riled up. I need to finish your hair.” 

Nishinoya froze under those hands if only because the time was coming closer for Azumane to arrive. It only lasted a few seconds before he was squirming again. 

“You’re hopeless,” Tanaka laughed. “I’m surprised you haven’t run away with him yet.” 

“If he asked me to, I would.” 

“Would you really?” Yamaguchi asked. 

“Of course! Who wouldn’t?” He squirmed again and Yamaguchi sighed, releasing him. He bolted for the mirror to check himself. 

“It’s the best I can do. If you would just sit still for a few more minutes…” 

“It’s fine.” 

“Of course, because it’ll be messed up within the hour anyway,” Tanaka retorted. He laughed as he dodged a flying cushion. 

“Please don’t mess up your room,” Yamaguchi said as he retrieved the pillow, exasperated. 

Nishinoya pushed at a strand of his hair and nodded affirmation. He looked good and he knew it. “Is the first tea room reserved?” 

“Yes. It’s ready. Should I have Hinata bring the tea in when he arrives or…”

“I’d rather you do it. You’re a little more discreet.” 

“Hinata will get there. Eventually.” 

Nishinoya laughed. “Eventually. But I have plans tonight.” 

“Oh? Should I ask?” Yamaguchi straightened the futon one final time.

“I don’t think you could handle it.” He winked and Yamaguchi turned scarlet. Without another word he slipped from his room and all but skipped down the stairs. He waved at Sugawara as he passed him and entered what he had started calling “his” tea room. Every time Azumane visited, the would meet in the tea room. Sometimes they made it upstairs, sometimes they didn’t. Nishinoya much preferred the ones where they did go up to his room. Those were fun nights. Although, some of the times they hadn’t made it up the stairs had been his fault. He grinned at the memories. 

Now, if only he could convince his shy nobleman to let him bathe him. Life would be perfect. 

The low murmur of voices in the hallway caught his attention and Nishinoya settled on his cushion, hands folded - for the moment - on his lap. 

The shoji slid open with a quiet whisper and Azumane stood in the doorway. He looked handsome in the dark clothing he wore, with his hair pulled back into a loose bun. Yamaguchi stood behind him with the tray, waiting patiently for him to enter. Azumane cleared his throat. 

“Noya-san.” 

“Aren’t you coming in?” Nishinoya said, a grin on his face. The nobleman - _his nobleman_ \- blushed and ducked his head as he strode into the room and sat down. 

Yamaguchi set the tray down and left without a word. 

Once the shoji was closed behind him, Nishinoya couldn’t contain himself any longer, and he launched himself at the taller man. 

“N-Noya-san!” 

“I missed you,” he murmured, breathing against his neck. He pressed feverish kisses against the warm skin. Azumane laughed. 

“I can see that. Noya, wait.” He tried to pry him off, but Nishinoya had hitched up his yukata and wrapped his legs around his waist. He peppered kisses across his cheeks, nose, and lips. “Noya, cal-mmf!” 

Latching on, he pushed his tongue into Azumane’s mouth and the nobleman lost his battle for staying upright. He fell backwards on the tatami, Nishinoya on top. 

He finally took the hint and returned the kiss with just as much passion, and Nishinoya melted against him. He was so reserved, so hesitant. The first time he’d visited he had been an alarming shade of red. He had barely spoken to Nishinoya, who was instantly smitten with the shy man. He had made some progress, but Nishinoya lived for the moments when he made him forget his reservations. 

He wanted that tonight. 

A long, low moan was muffled by Nishinoya’s lips, but he felt the vibrations against his skin. It drove him mad. “Asahi-san,” he panted, using the name his lover preferred when they were in private. He thrilled at calling him that, as if he wasn’t a courtesan but someone actually in the man’s life. 

Asahi rolled them over so that he pressed down against Nishinoya’s smaller frame. He hated being so short most of the time, but it had its advantages. Like now. Pressed beneath the large man. He moaned and didn’t care if the sound carried. 

Asahi kissed him one last time then pulled back, pushing up on strong arms to stare down at him. “What’s come over you tonight?” 

“I told you I missed you.” 

“Yes, but you’re going to eat me alive.” 

A lecherous grin slid over his face. “Maybe that’s the point.” 

Asahi blushed. It was so cute. “S-should we go upstairs, then? I don’t want to… disturb… anyone else.” 

“Think I can’t be quiet?” 

“When are you ever quiet?” 

“I was that one time. You didn’t seem to like it much.” 

The blush turned crimson and Nishinoya feared the sensitive man would pass out. “N-Noya,” he choked out. 

“You know what I would love, Asahi-san? If you would let me bathe you. I could help you relax from a long, hard day. I know you work so hard. It would feel amazing,” he cooed. _For both of us,_ he added silently. 

Asahi choked on his words and pulled back. “M-maybe some other time, Noya-san. For now maybe we could just... go upstairs…”

Nishinoya was disappointed, but he’d expected that response. He stood and grabbed Asahi’s hand, pulled him along, the unpoured tea abandoned. He slid the shoji opened and peaked into the hallway before laughing quietly and all but dragging the taller man to the stairs. He led him up them - a familiar and comforting feeling - and all but skipped down to his room. Asahi almost tripped on his feet. 

Upstairs was mostly quiet. He could hear quiet murmuring behind a few doors, but for the most part there were no discernable sounds. People could be talking or participating in more exciting activities, but no one would usually know. 

Sliding the shoji open, he tugged on Asahi’s hand. “Come in,” he urged, grinning up at him. He slid the door shut as soon as he cleared the threshold and flicked the latch, locking them inside. Asahi gulped audibly. 

“Should I have sent for more tea?” Nishinoya asked. There was a pitcher of water on the chest against the wall, of course, but he had to be polite. 

“No, I uh, I’m fine, thanks.” 

Asahi stood at the foot of the futon, looking around nervously. Even though he’d been there before, dozens of times, he still seemed so uncomfortable. Nishinoya frowned and bit his lip. 

“Does being here make you uncomfortable?” 

“What? No!” 

“Because if you’d prefer, arrangements could be made and I could be brought to you…” 

“It’s not that, Noya, I promise. It doesn’t matter. It’s nothing.” He offered a small smile, ducking his head almost bashfully as if to reassure Nishinoya, even though he looked like the one that needed reassurance. 

It was sweet, really. Even after months of seeing him, the man still hesitated, still asked if Nishinoya was sure, every time, even when he was writhing and panting with need. Still sought permission and checked on him constantly. 

Of all the men he’d been with, Asahi was the most considerate. 

And he’d stolen Nishinoya’s heart in a matter of weeks. 

Grinning to hide the pang in his chest, he reached behind him and tugged on the wide _obi_ at his waist. Though it was intricate, he had practice in removing it quickly, and moments later the sash fell to the ground. Asahi choked on the air. 

He could be seductive and coy. He turned around untied a smaller belt and let that drop to the floor. Under the bunched fabric was the third belt keeping the yukata from touching the ground. He glanced over his shoulder, pinning Asahi with his gaze as he did so. The belt undone, it dropped along with the length of the fabric, the shoulder slipped off Nishinoya’s thin frame. 

Asahi groaned, his hands twitching. 

“Can you help me?” he asked, as if he was having trouble. 

The giant of a man stepped forward and took the heavy fabric in his hands. His fingers tightened around it before he helped slide it off Nishinoya’s slender frame. The fabric pooled at his feet, and he stood nude before the man. 

“N-Noya…” he stammered before Nishinoya turned and let him get a full look at him. 

“You’re overdressed, Asahi-san,” he teased, hands reaching for the ties of his hakama. He deftly flicked his wrists and watched as the ties loosened and then released. The hakama fell to the ground, leaving Asahi in his haori and kimono. 

And here lay the challenge. For all the times they’d been together, Asahi refused to fully remove all of his clothing. Nishinoya had found it to be charming before, but now he wanted to see the man completely. He wanted that wide expanse of skin pressing him into the futon. He wanted to feel the muscles of his back bunch as he strained his muscles. 

Nishinoya licked his lips and pushed the haori off his shoulders. It slid down his arms and into a pile on the floor with the hakama. When he reached to untie the knot holding the kimono closed, a hand stopped him. 

“Noya.” 

“Asahi-san, _please_. Trust me.” He peered up at him with wide eyes. “It’s okay.” 

He watched as his nobleman swallowed, watched his throat work roughly. He wanted to stretch up and lick the muscles, cause him to fall apart and lose his inhibitions. Nishinoya had been waiting patiently for this moment, but he was tired of keeping himself in check. 

Rather than wait for a response, he finished his work on the knot and let the kimono fall open. He breathed a sigh of pleasure at seeing the expanse of skin. Instead of pushing the kimono off as he had done the haori, he stepped forward and pressed several small kisses to skin. Asahi’s breathing quickened and his changed his tactic. He stretched up to leave open mouthed kisses along his collarbone. Still another stretch to the tips of his toes and a gentle tug on Asahi’s arm and he reached the underside of his chin. 

“N-Noya.” 

“You taste good, Asahi-san.” His tongue flicked out and caught a bead of sweat from his temple. He studiously avoided his lips for as long as possible. 

Asahi had moved his arms around Nishinoya and pressed him closer. Their chests touched, though the kimono still hung from his shoulders. His fingers curled and uncurled against his lower back and he moaned into Asahi’s shoulder. 

“ _Kami-sama,_ ” Asahi whispered. 

Nishinoya fought a grin. He could feel Asahi pressed against his belly. He reached up and slid his fingers behind his neck, the pads dancing across his skin lightly. He inched them down the tendons, sliding them just under the collar and then down his chest, his lips following their wake. Asahi’s chest heaved under the touch, small gasps coming from his lips. 

Fingers reached his belly and slid tantalizingly lower. Asahi stopped breathing when the tip of his finger touched the sharp V of his groin, but Nishinoya trailed them back up again, expertly teasing. He needed Asahi out of his mind to reach his goal, and based on the twitching fingers, the harsh pants and the way his body rocked, he knew he was almost there. 

His lips continued to press kisses against warm skin, but when he slid his hands back up to his neck he stopped and swirled his tongue around one taut nipple. 

When he ran his hands under the collar and along the wide shoulders under it, he didn’t meet resistance this time. Gently he pushed the fabric off and it fell to the ground with the rest of his clothing. 

_Yes!_ Nishinoya shouted internally. His celebration didn’t last long. The removal of the kimono seemed to snap the last shred of control Asahi had, because Nishinoya found himself hauled into the air. He let out an undignified help as wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and legs around his waist. “Asahi!” 

The man cursed and deposited him on the chest against the wall. Nishinoya clung to him, not wanting him to leave. Lips crashed together frantically, all sense of skill gone as their cocks rubbed together. Both of them groaned and panted, and Nishinoya was alarmed to find himself already teetering on the brink. 

“A-Asahi,” he cried when a hand reached between them and gripped them both. The delicious friction from the large, hot hand and the even hotter cock leaking fluids against him left him writhing. He was going to lose it in seconds. He’d never been thrown to the edge so fast in his life. Asahi had never touched him like this before. _No, no, no_ he thought, over and over, unable to control the movement of his hips. _Not yet, not yet._ Not when he’d worked so hard to get his man naked. He wanted Asahi pressing him into the futon, not like this one the chest. 

He had to take control of this situation. Bringing his arms up he shoved Asahi back and managed to get himself off the chest. He launched himself at Asahi and the bigger man caught him in his arms. He seemed to have figured out what Nishinoya wanted, because he dropped to the ground and deposited him on the futon. 

“Oil,” he started, but Asahi had already turned back and opened a small door on the chest and pulled out a small carved glass bottle. 

Nishinoya grinned and took in the wide expanse of his shoulders. The muscles were well sculpted despite him being a nobleman. It was clear he cared for his body, and Nishinoya was the one who reaped the benefits. When Asahi turned, the bottle in hand, he got another unobstructed view of his body. 

Letting his legs drop open, he beckoned for his lover to join him. Gone was the shy man from before. In his place was one who knew what he wanted. Asahi dropped down between his legs and pressed a bruising kiss to his lips. 

Once again Nishinoya wrapped around him, clinging with arms and legs. Slick fingers gently probed and pushed into him as Asahi stretched him. The first finger was joined by a second and then a third. 

“Enough,” Nishinoya panted, writing in his fingers. “More.” He couldn’t get more words out, but despite that, Asahi understood. He pulled back, and replaced his fingers with something much thicker. As he pressed in, they both moaned. 

“Noya,” he panted, his breath hot against Nishinoya’s neck. His voice was strained as he slid into his body. 

Nishinoya sighed with relief once he was fully seated. They froze for a moment, breathing deeply. “Feels good,” he whispered against Asahi’s ear. “Move.” 

Asahi obeyed and began to thrust. Nishinoya revelled in the feeling. With unfettered access to his skin, he let his hands roam, pressing against shoulder blades, his lower back, his ass. He felt every muscle as he bunched and released, and the thrill of it set him on edge again. He wasn’t going to last. He wanted to, he wanted this to go on forever, but it couldn’t. 

“Asahi!” he cried as his orgasm slammed into him. His back bowed as heat flooded between them. 

His lover was quieter, with a choked out “Noya” as he followed shortly behind. 

Spent, Asahi lay against Nishinoya, his weight carefully on an arm so as not to crush him. He pressed gentle kisses to his shoulder, neck, cheeks, anywhere he could reach. Nishinoya smiled sleepily. 

“Stay?” 

“Yes.”


	5. The River Flows into the Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Iwa-chan!” 
> 
> Not again. Iwaizumi sighed as he froze on his way up the stairs to his room. “Oikawa-san. You’re back again.” 
> 
> “Of course I am. To see you!” 
> 
> “Lucky me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As asked for IwaOi chapter. This one is shorter because I'm not yet completely confident on writing them in this context yet, but I'll get there. They will show up briefly in the next chapter as well, which will focus on Hinata, Kageyama, Suga and Daichi. Enjoy!

“Iwa-chan!” 

Not again. Iwaizumi sighed as he froze on his way up the stairs to his room. “Oikawa-san. You’re back again.” 

“Of course I am. To see you!” 

“Lucky me,” Iwaizumi muttered under his breath. He turned to face the annoying nobleman who had - for some reason - latched onto him since his first visit a month ago. 

“Iwa-chan, you don’t seem happy to see me,” he pouted. 

“I’m always happy to see you, Oikawa-san,” he lied. The other man laughed and winked as if he was in on the secret. 

“Is Tobio-chan around today?” 

“Ah, did you want to see him instead? I can enquire-” 

“No! I wanted to see you. It’s just sometimes nice to see him, too.” 

“You mean to needle him.” 

“Well, that, too. He is rather fun to anger. He’s so cute when he glares.” 

It would have been preferable if Oikawa came to visit Kageyama even once, to give Iwaizumi a break, but even if Iwaizumi was busy, he would wait until he was free. Whatever he had done to attract his attention, he wasn’t sure. On the one hand it was good to have a steady client. On the other, did it have to be him of all people? Why couldn’t he have gotten someone quiet and pleasant like Azumane-san? 

“Today I requested the bathing room,” he said, a cheerful smile on his face. “I’ve had a very long day dealing with my tenants and merchants.” His usually pleasant expression faded as he sneered at the mention of the merchants. 

“I know how much you dislike dealing with that class.” 

“Dislike is not strong enough a word, Iwa-chan. But come! Bathe me so I can relax.” 

“Yes, Oikawa-san.” 

Iwaizumi followed his client down the hall. He knew the bathing room well and had requested it many times in the month since he started his visits. Yamaguchi had just finished setting out soft, fluffy towels and other materials. Without a word he bowed and slipped silently from the room. 

“Undress me?” Oikawa said with a smile. He held his arms around and Iwaizumi glared. It made Oikawa laugh. “You’ve done it before, Iwa-chan. Don’t make that face. 

With a sigh, Iwaizumi carefully removed the light blue haori and folded it carefully before placing it on a bench. The darker blue hakama was next, and he paid careful attention to the folds while Oikawa stood in the heated room. Finally, the white kimono came off and Oikawa stood before him, fully nude. 

As Iwaizumi placed the clothes on a shelf and gathered the bathing materials, Oikawa sat on a stool. 

“Ahh, Iwa-chan. There’s nothing better than relaxing in the bath at the end of a long day. He stared out facing the garden as Iwaizumi prepared water to wash him. 

“I don’t often get the chance to relax in the bath.” 

“No? I thought you had your own private bathroom.” 

“We all share it, but in a sense we do. However there is rarely time for relaxing.” 

“You lead a difficult life, then.” 

Iwaizumi shrugged. “It’s not so bad.” 

Oikawa leaned back into his hands as he soap over his wet skin. “Mm...that feels nice. Maybe next time you’ll let me wash you, then.” 

He flushed and scrubbed as his back harder. “That’s not necessary.” 

“But what if I want to?” 

“I… suppose if it’s what you wanted.” 

“The more I think about it, the more I want to, Iwa-chan~.” 

He closed his eyes to fight the annoyance. What was it about this man that set him on edge? Was it the flippant way he spoke about everything? How he seemed not to take most things seriously? How, even when he was with Iwaizumi, he managed to flirt with just about everyone there as well? 

“Ow ow ow,” he complained. “That’s a little rough, Iwa-chan.” 

“Apologies, Oikawa-san. Close your eyes.” He grabbed one of the buckets and splashed water over his head. The sputtering he received made him grin. 

“So mean,” the man muttered, but he nearly melted into Iwaizumi’s touch when he soaped his hair. 

Silence fell over them, which was just fine by Iwaizumi. He could tolerate the man when he wasn’t saying anything. He was beautiful to look at, for sure, and his hair was wispy in a way he rarely saw. He scrubbed gently at his scalp and then quietly asked him to clothes his eyes again. 

With two more buckets of water he rinsed the man off and then helped him stand and step into the heated water of the bath. Oikawa sighed as he sank into the water. Iwaizumi took a pillow and spread it across his lap, then kneeled at the side of the bath. Oikawa leaned back and placed his head there. 

“This is nice,” Oikawa said quietly. Despite the lovely view of the garden, he stared up at Iwaizumi, which made him flush. He tried to attribute it to the heat of the room and took the edges of the towel to run through Oikawa’s hair and dry it. 

“Ne, Iwa-chan. If our positions were switched, would you visit me?” 

“That’s a strange question.” 

“Well I was wondering. Would you?” 

“Maybe.” 

“Iwa-chan, that’s mean. You’re my favorite.” 

“I know.” 

“Your life must have been boring before you met me.” 

Boring? Hardly. Quieter? Absolutely. Sometimes he wished he’d never met the spoiled nobleman who sometimes acted like a king. But when he stared up at him like this, quiet and almost submissive, he thought maybe it wasn’t so bad. 

Leaning down before the compulsion left him and common sense took over, he pressed a gentle kiss to Oikawa’s lips. 

“You should join me in the water.” 

“I already had a bath. But thank you.” 

His lazy, flirtatious eyes hardened and he grinned. “I insist. Undress, Iwa-chan.” 

With one last swipe of the towel through his hair, Iwaizumi side and pushed the man’s head from his lap. 

This was shaping up to be a long night.


	6. When the River Pushes the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How do you know Oikawa-san, Kageyama? He’s a noble,” Hinata said, following Kageyama to his room to help him prepare for a visitor. 
> 
> “I don’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to talk about it before, I don’t want to talk about it now, and I will not want to talk about it in the future. Can you drop it? Stupid Hinata.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter with a few different stories woven in. We get to see some Suga and Daichi at the end. I promise the next chapter will be longer. It will be another mixed chapter.
> 
> The first five chapters of this story take place during the same day. Chapter six starts a new day, so it will be mostly gossip between the courtesans. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated! Again, if there's something you'd like to see, a specific pairing, please let me know! There is a developing plot at this point, and most suggestions are fair game unless they directly interfere with the overarching story. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Iwaizumi finished brushing Oikawa’s hair, and it naturally fell into its usual style. He had always wondered if some product was in it to make it curl out just a little, but the strands seemed to naturally gravitate outwards. 

The man was settled silently between his legs, his eyes closed. Like this, he looked so innocent and peaceful, but he knew better. He was grateful for the steam in the room that he could use to explain away the flush on his cheeks if the man chose to look up at him. 

Running his fingers through his soft hair, he leaned down and pressed a small kiss to his head. “Oikawa-san, it’s getting late in the evening.” 

“Mmm…” the man murmured, his head lolling to the side. It exposed the long, pale line of his neck and Iwaizumi was tempted to lean down and bite the tender flesh. He resisted, though. Sometimes Oikawa liked it rough, but he didn’t want to disturb the peace. It could bring more trouble than it was worth. 

“Were you staying the evening?” 

“Wish I could, Iwa-chan.” He sighed heavily. “But I have business to attend to early in the morning.” His eyes fluttered open and he gave a lazy smile. “You could always join me at my home.” 

Iwaizumi snorted and pushed Oikawa forward. The man complained and rubbed his head before standing. “I’ll help you dress,” he said with finality. 

He was not visiting his home tonight, and he would not in the future. That suggested too many things. It was best to leave visitations like that to Nishinoya. 

He tried to dress Oikawa quickly, but the man’s hands wandered, and Iwaizumi found himself on his knees. The kimono was on, at least, and he was attempting to tie the hakama, but Oikawa had clearly found the attention to his hair arousing. 

The nobleman let out of a soft cry when he came, his body nearly doubling over with his fingers twisted in Iwaizumi’s short hair. “You’re so good, Iwa-chan.” 

“Naturally,” he said, exasperated, and used his complacency to his advantage to finish dressing him. 

“Evening’s are always perfect when I spend them with you.” 

“Additional flattery will get you nowhere, Oikawa-san.” 

“Not even for next time?” 

“No.” 

“So mean, Iwa-chan.” 

And yet he came back for more again and again. Iwaizumi was pretty sure the man had a masochistic streak. 

With both of them fully dressed, he led Oikawa out to the main room. He was about to ask if he wanted tea before he left, when a red head darted by them followed by a taller, black haired young man. 

“Tobio-chan~” Oikawa called and Iwaizumi stifled a groan. He was so close to freedom. 

Kageyama froze and turned to glare at Oikawa. “Oikawa-san. Good evening.” 

“How are you, Tobio-chan?” 

The younger courtesan bristled at being called his first name. While it was common for regular clients to refer to their preferred partner in such an intimate way, the antagonistic quality between these two led to much gossip. 

“Fine. And you?” 

“Oh, it’s been a lovely evening. Where are you off to in such a hurry?” 

“Kageyama-kun has a client!” Hinata chirped helpfully and Iwaizumi wanted to muzzle him. Kageyama seemed to have the same idea because he grabbed him around the head and slapped a hand over his mouth, hissing “shut up” at the same time.

“Oh~? Lucky man. I wonder if I know him.” 

“I’m sure you don’t, Oikawa-san. I should get going.” 

“Who is it?” 

Iwaizumi broke in to spare the two and send them on their way. “It’s impolite to ask, Oikawa-san. If you’d like to spend time with Kageyama later, you’ll have to call ahead.” 

The man frowned as the two slipped away up the stairs. “I was just having fun.” 

“Yes, but you’ll get Kageyama in trouble if he’s late for a client. Didn’t you have an early morning tomorrow?” he asked.

~~~

“How _do_ you know Oikawa-san, Kageyama? He’s a _noble_ ,” Hinata said, following Kageyama to his room to help him prepare for a visitor.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to talk about it before, I don’t want to talk about it now, and I will not want to talk about it in the future. Can you drop it? Stupid Hinata.” 

Hinata glared at him. “I’m going to find out someday. I don’t see what the issue is. So what if you knew him before you came here?” His eyes widened, almost comically so. “Unless he did something terrible to you. If he did something, you need to tell Sugawara-san! They’ll make sure he never comes back.” 

“I’m sure it’s not whatever you’re thinking,” Kageyama muttered. “Just shut up and help me get ready.” 

Kageyama hated thinking about the past and what had brought him here. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of what he did not, but a few years ago this was not the life he had been expecting to lead. Instead, he tried to shut out all thoughts of the past, and he usually was successful. 

Except whenever he saw Oikawa. 

The man was infuriating, to say the least. He could seem so charming to most people, but Kageyama knew better. He was sure, by now, that Iwaizumi knew better, too. 

Hinata bustled around his room, nearly knocking over a vase of flowers as he laid out the futon and spread the blankets over it. Kageyama muttered to himself about how useless he was, and fixed his hair in the mirror. He wasn’t vain by any definition of the word, but this was his job, and sometimes looking good went along with the territory. 

“Do you need help with anything else?” Hinata asked, moving the vase back a bit. Kageyama shot him a look and he pushed it back to its original place.

“I’m fine. Just...show him up when he gets here,” he said. 

“Tea?” 

“He probably won’t drink it, but it’s customary.” 

Hinata nodded and bit his lip. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but for once he kept his mouth shut and slipped from the room silently. 

That, more than anything, worried Kageyama.

~~~

In the privacy of their room, set off down a small hallway from the rest of the building, Sugawara relaxed into Sawamura’s arms. He nestled between his legs as they went over the accounts for the day. His lover played with the strands of his hair, brushing them back gently.

“Any guests spending the evening?” he asked. 

Sugawara looked at the list. “Hmm…it seems like Azumane-san is spending the evening for the first time.” 

“Oh?” He glanced back at Daichi and smiled. “I honestly thought it would take longer for him to stay.” 

“I figured this would happen sooner rather than later. Yuu can be very persuasive. I’m sure he’ll be inviting him out at some point.” 

“I’m glad for Nishinoya, then. How are the others?” 

“The usual visitors. Though Kei seems upset about something this evening.” 

Sawamura laughed quietly. “Tsukishima? He’s always upset about something. Was it Kuroo-san?” 

“Yes, but it’s not that. Something about work. He’s worried. At least that’s what Tadashi told me.” 

“I’m sure it’ll sort itself out tomorrow. Kuroo-san can be infuriating.” 

Sugawara murmured agreement, though he wasn’t sure that was the issue this time. 

“You worry too much, Koushi. Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow, I’m sure. Let’s put this away and come to bed.” 

Flushing, he placed the records on the low table and follow Daichi as he pulled him to his feet. Their shared futon was just a few short steps away, and he allowed his lover to undress him. 

They were familiar with each other now after years together, and rather than monotonous it never failed to thrill him each time. He closed his eyes as soft lips pressed against his throat. Gentle hands roamed his body, caressing him as if he was a treasure. When Daichi lowered him to the futon, he wrapped around him, clinging to him. 

Meeting him had been the greatest day of his life, but every day after was a close second.


	7. Hanakotoba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of the previous day, Nishinoya is upset that he was unable to see Asahi off, Tsukishima is sulking with worry over Kuroo, and Yamaguchi is attempting some sort of damage control. An unexpected delivery arrives for Nishinoya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in the chapter! I hope you enjoy it. For those of you note familiar with hanakotoba, it is the language of flowers. While many cultures assign meanings to flowers, the Japanese have different meanings for common flowers. I've decided to include hanakotoba in this story because I think it's romantic. I will try to be as accurate as I can, and I have consulted several sources. I won't be revealing the meanings of the flowers in the story each time, but if you'd like to know the meaning, the wiki page for hanakotoba seems to be a decent source of information based on other sources I consulted. 
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are much appreciated!

Nishinoya vaguely remembered waking up early in the morning. His entire body was pleasantly sore after several rounds of athletic bedroom activities. At one point Asahi has been next to him, his body warm and comfortable in sleep. Then there was the rustling of blankets and clothing. He might have stirred at some point, because he remembered a kiss on his forehead and a quiet “sleep,” murmured in his ear, and then nothing. 

When he finally fully woke, the sounds of everyone in the building stirring reached his ears, and when he reached out for Asahi, he found his spot on the futon cold. He pouted and snuggled deeper into the blanket. 

He should have gotten up to help him dress, or at least entice him back to bed for another round. Instead, he’d slept right through the goodbye. He hated how he did that, and he hated that Asahi was considerate enough to let him sleep. It would be days before he saw his lover again, and he didn’t even have a goodbye kiss to go with it. 

“Noya-san, are you awake?” a quiet voice asked from the door. 

Nishinoya grunted as Yamaguchi came into the room and brought him a tray of tea and light breakfast, as was customary for those who had late evenings with a client. 

“Asahi-san let me sleep again,” he complained, still burrowed in the thick blanket. He heard the chuckle from the quiet man and peaked out at him. 

“Taketora-san said he almost managed to sneak out without him noticing. He was on night watch.” 

“The bastard is stealthy.” 

Yamaguchi gasped, as if scandalized. “Noya-san!” 

“I know, I know. I just wish he would let me help him get dressed.” 

“Get dressed… you mean…?” 

“Oh yes. _Finally._ ” Yamaguchi flushed and picked up the clothing on the floor after the tray was set on the low table in the corner. 

“I’ll have these cleaned for you.” 

“Thanks.” 

Yamaguchi left the room, leaving Nishinoya to his meal and his devices. He brought the clothing down to the room off the kitchen and baths where they could be washed by some of the servants Sawamura had hired to make the work lighter for everyone. He placed the clothing in the bin with Nishinoya’s name and then left to find more work. 

He ran into Tsukishima in the tea room that had been converted for everyone to eat. The man sat slouched over a cup of green tea, rice, fish, and pickles. Though he held his utensils, he did not seem to be eating side from a small scoop missing from the rice. 

“Tsukki? Are you alright?” Yamaguchi abandoned his plans and entered the room to sit with his friend. He sat on the cushion across from him and pushed the bowl of rice closer. “Is there something wrong with the food? I can let the cook know…” 

“It’s fine.” 

“You’re not eating.” 

“You’re observant this morning,” he shot back and Yamaguchi smiled. Well, at least he seemed to be okay. But even though he hardly ate, it was rare for him to not finish his meal quickly to avoid the others. 

“Well, if you don’t hurry, everyone else will be down soon. It was Hinata’s turn to stay up later, so he’ll be taking breakfast with everyone.” 

Tsukishima shrugged and took a bite of the rice. 

“You know you can tell me if something’s wrong,” Yamaguchi started when Akaashi entered the room. He had a tray of food and took the cushion next to Tsukishima without hesitation. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Tsukishima said with a glare in Yamaguchi’s direction. “Just not hungry this morning.” 

“You should eat anyway. You know how Kuroo-san gets when he finds out you haven’t been eating. And if he gets upset, Bokuto-san will get upset, and then I’ll have to hear about it. Spare us the noise, please.” 

Tsukishima grunted, took a bite of his fish, sipped his tea, and then stood to leave.

“Tsukki?” 

Yamaguchi was ignored. The tall blond slipped from the room and they heard the shoji leading to the garden slide open and closed. 

“I take it Kuroo-san didn’t come back last night. I’m sure he’ll be back later today. I don’t know why Tsukishima is so worried.” 

“Is it because Bokuto-san couldn’t find him?” 

Akaashi raised a delicate eyebrow and Yamaguchi shrugged. “Hinata talks. Loudly.” 

“Ah. I should have known.” He blew gently on his tea and then took a sip. “Perhaps. But it’s not like Kuroo-san hasn’t disappeared for days at a time only to show up unannounced again. I don’t see why Tsukishima would be worried about it this time.” 

“Maybe it’s because it was Bokuto-san looking for him, and not the other way around. It’s more common for Bokuto-san to go missing.” 

Point. The owlish man did seem to stray from time to time. Still, cats had a tendency to wander, too. And Kuroo-san was nothing if not a cat. Maybe he was looking for new territory. 

Akaashi ate his breakfast in silence and then rose as Yamaguchi took his tray, insisting he had been idle for too long. As he passed the entrance, he heard a quiet voice call out. Taketora responded, but Akaashi followed to see who would be calling so early. 

“I have a message for Nishinoya-san,” the woman said. Akaashi could see her holding something in front of her as she stared up, trembling, at Taketora. 

“He’s resting. You’ll have to come back later.” 

“I’ll take care of this, Taketora-san. Thank you.” 

“You sure?” the severe man asked, and Akaashi nodded and brushed by him. 

“I can deliver the message to Nishinoya-san. Can I ask who it is from?” 

The woman was small and dressed in a plain kimono. She was likely staff from Azumane-san’s residence. Her pale hair had been pulled back out of her eyes. 

“It’s from Azumane-san. He said he’s sorry, but business has called him away from the city unexpectedly, and he will return as soon as he can. He hopes these flowers are acceptable.” 

Akaashi took in the simple bouquet of white and yellow camellias with a single gardenia tucked in the center. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across this face, and he hoped Nishinoya was still familiar with _hanakotoba_. If not, he was sure he could manage a lesson at some point in the day. 

“I’ll make sure Nishinoya-san gets them immediately.” 

“Thank you!” the woman cried, clearly relieved. She held the bouquet out and Akaashi took it gently. She bowed deeply and all but ran from the room. 

“She was adorable,” Taketora said. 

“And you terrified her.” 

He laughed. “I can’t help the way I look.” 

“You could if you cleaned up a little.” 

“That’s not what I get paid for.” 

“True.” 

Akaashi sniffed the flowers and went off to deliver them to their intended recipient, leaving Taketora to guard the door.


	8. Gossip in the Baths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a morning spent lazing around, the courtesans must begin their preparations for the evening, and what better way to pass the time than gossiping in the baths?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, my apologies, but there appears to have been a user error and one of the previous chapters didn't post. If you will look in the chapter selection now, there is a new chapter five posted. This is an IwaOi chapter! It leads directly into the events of chapter six, so if anyone read that and was scratching their heads... yeah. That's why. Apparently I saved but didn't post. So sorry! 
> 
> This chapter features our favorite boys gossiping and being generally chatty, followed by a little Tsukki angst. 
> 
> Also, after reading the lovely comments from user Mandi, I've decided there will be a spin-off series featuring the origin stories for each of the courtesans, clients, and their first meetings. I will link to it once I have the first chapter posted, so stay tuned! 
> 
> Until then, enjoy! Comments and kudos are much appreciated!

Mid to late afternoon was the most popular time of the day for the courtesans of Karasuno Datenshi to bathe. The rest of the staff bathed in the morning while most were sleeping, and while they might clean themselves briefly in the morning if they had a rather athletic evening the night before, the men enjoyed relaxing in the hot water before the building opened for clients in the evening. It was also the perfect time for them talk to each other and, well, gossip. 

Hinata had the sleeves of his yukata tied up as he scrubbed roughly at Kageyama’s back, causing him to grumble and mutter about leaving marks. Nishinoya had already scrubbed himself clean and sank into the water nearly up to his nose, blowing out a sigh in bliss and causing bubbles to float to the surface. Iwaizumi sat next to him, with Akaashi across. 

Tsukishima sat next to Akaashi in the corner of the large bath, and Yamaguchi had taken it upon himself to play with his short blond strands of hair. 

“Just relax, Tsukki. Everything will be fine.” 

“You’re _still_ worried?” Iwaizumi asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s seriously not worth the trouble.” 

“Just because you wish Oikawa-san would disappear doesn’t mean the rest of us would like our clients to,” Akaashi said in Tsukishima’s defense. 

“Mmm... because I haven’t heard you praying Bokuto-san would just stop coming around.” 

If Akaashi blushed at being called out, no one could tell. The steam in the room from the hot water and the fires turned everyone’s face red. 

Tsukishima remained quiet, his eyes closing under Yamaguchi’s gentle touch. 

“Hey, Noya-san, what was with those flowers you got earlier?” Kageyama called out. 

Nishinoya popped up from the water a bit, enough to keep the water from sloshing in his mouth as he spoke. “They were from Asahi-san.” The smile on his face was completely lovestruck. “He’s so thoughtful.” 

“It was a weird bunch of flowers,” the younger man said as he pushed Hinata back, rinsed the soap from his body, and joined them in the bath. “White and yellow? And then that one different one? That’s just weird.” 

Hinata perched on the edge of the tub. “Ah! I heard Sugawara-san talking about hana-something-or-other,” he said. “I think they mean something.” 

“ _Hanakotoba_ ,” Tsukishima said, annoyed. “Can you please keep it down? Some of us would like to relax before work this evening.” 

Hinata made a face at him. “Yeah, that. What he said. What is that?” 

“The language of flowers,” Akaashi said. “Each flower and colors means carries a hidden meaning. It is used as a way to communicate without speaking.” 

“Oooh...that’s so romantic!” Hinata cried, earning him a sharp glare from Tsukishima. “What flowers did you get? What did they say?” 

“Don’t pry, Hinata. The flowers were meant for Nishinoya-san,” Akaashi said. “I’m sure he’d rather keep that private.” 

“But weren’t you the one that brought them to him? Do you know what they mean? I’m sure you do. You’re really smart.” 

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t share. The message is between Asahi-san and Nishinoya-san.” 

Everyone turned to look at Nishinoya, he grinned. “Maybe I’ll keep it a secret for now.” 

“Aww, come on! Noya-san! I want to know.” 

“Well, I’ll tell you he did send me a flower after he first visited. An Amaryllis.” 

Everyone turned as one, again, to look at Akaashi. “He was saying that he was shy.”

There were several exclamations and laughs, and Nishinoya laughed the loudest. “If that wasn’t the most accurate statement!”

“Ne, Kageyama-kun, have you gotten any flowers before?” 

“No. I haven’t been here long enough for any admirers. Besides, flowers are a pain. They die so fast.” 

Hinata huffed. “You’re not very romantic.” 

“I’m not here for romance.” 

“Bokuto-san brought me flowers before, but he, ah, is not familiar with _hanakotoba_.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “I can only imagine. What was it he brought with him?” 

“White lilies.” 

Tsukishima coughed to hide the laugh behind his hand. “Yes, because chastity fits so well here.” 

Akaashi sighed and offered a small, graceful shrug. “Well, it was the thought that counted, I suppose. The man can be…” 

“An uncultured idiot,” Tsukishima finished. 

“Not all of us are lucky enough to have educated noblemen as patrons,” Akaashi reminded him, and Tsukishima soured quickly. He really shouldn’t have brought up Kuroo-san’s unknown occupation status when they’d finally gotten to luring the blond out of his shell. 

Yamaguchi continued to run his fingers through his hair. His fingers dropped down to massage the sides of his neck. “Don’t be so tense, Tsukki.”

“I’m fine,” he argued and then grew silent. 

He was anything but fine, but the rest let him drop it. 

They remained in the water just a little longer before climbing out, one by one, drying, and dressing in simple yukata. They silently made their way to the tea room where a light evening meal waited for them. Sawamura and Sugawara were already seated along with Yamamoto and Tanaka. 

It was common for everyone to eat the evening meal together. Sugawara had insisted on it when he and Sawamura purchased Karasuno Datenshi, arguing that it would allow everyone to bond and share any troubles they had. As much as they had argued against it, even Tsukishima had to admit that it had been a good idea. At least, it had been until Hinata had arrived and interrupted their hushed speaking with overzealous shouts. 

“Tomorrow Sawamura and I will be attending the market. Would anyone else like to go?” 

Another thing that had changed once ownership had changed hands, the courtesans were allowed out more frequently, so long as they were accompanied by either a well-known and respected client or one of the bodyguards. 

“Oh! Oh! I want to go!” Hinata cried, throwing his arm in the air and nearly upsetting the bowls in front of him. 

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Sawamura said with a little hesitation, glancing at Sugawara for backup. “Remember what happened last time?” 

“I do.” Sugawara cringed. “Perhaps you can go next time, but maybe this time you should stay around here.” 

Hinata pouted but Nishinoya nudged him. “Hey, it’s fine! I’m staying, too. You can help me do something nice for Asahi-san.” 

That distracted the redhead long enough for everyone to finish their meals. 

With the meal finished, a few of the kitchen staff came out to clear everything away while Hinata and Yamaguchi went to help everyone get ready for the evening. 

“Tsukishima-kun, a word?” 

Tsukishima stopped and glanced back at Sugawara and Sawamura, who were both still seated at the low table. Yamamoto had disappeared, probably to sleep, but Tanaka sat next to them looking sheepish. 

“Yes?” 

“Would you please sit down? There was something we wanted to discuss with you.” 

The bottom of Tsukishima’s stomach nearly dropped out, and he felt like he was going to lose the little food he had eaten. He took the seat anyway, trying to keep his face composed into the mask of annoyance everyone - including himself - was familiar with. 

“Yamaguchi told us that you’re concerned about Kuroo-san.” 

“He can manage himself.” 

“Yes, we are aware of that. We just wanted to let you know that we support you, and that we’re here to speak with if you needed to talk.” 

“What would I need to talk about?” 

Sugawara glanced at Sawamura and then Tanaka. “We wanted to reassure you that everything was fine, so Tanaka went out to gather information.” 

Tsukishima shot a sharp glance at the short-haired bodyguard. He had the grace to look embarrassed for a moment before straightening up. “I asked around, just to be sure. No one has seen him since he left here yesterday.” 

He was going to be sick. Tsukishima was sure he was going to be sick, but he couldn’t let the news affect him. So what if he hadn’t been seen? It was just a day. He’d been gone for far longer before. Tsukishima wasn’t his keeper. The man could do whatever the hell he wanted. 

So why did he feel so anxious this time? 

He pressed a fist against him stomach. “Thank you for telling me, though I’m not sure why this should concern me. Kuroo-san’s whereabouts are of no concern to me. Now if you’re excuse me, I must get ready for the evening.” 

Tsukishima stood as gracefully as he could given his inner turmoil and bowed respectfully to the three seated men, and left. 

“Tanaka,” Sawamura said as soon as the tall blond had left the room. 

“Yes?” 

“Send out feelers and see what information we can gather. Something’s just not right about this.”


End file.
